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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffThere are two common types of atrioventricular canal defect — partial and complete. The partial form involves only the two upper chambers of the heart. The complete form allows blood to travel freely among all four chambers of the heart. In either type, extra blood circulates in the lungs.
Complete atrioventricular canal defect
Signs and symptoms of complete atrioventricular canal defect usually develop in the first several weeks of life. They include:
- Difficulty breathing (dyspnea)
- Lack of appetite
- Poor weight gain
- Bluish discoloration of the lips and skin (cyanosis)
If your baby has complete atrioventricular canal defect, he or she may also develop signs and symptoms of heart failure, including:
- Fatigue
- Wheezing
- Swelling (edema) in the legs, ankles and feet
- Sudden weight gain from fluid retention
- Excessive sweating
- Decreased alertness
- Irregular or rapid heartbeat
Partial atrioventricular canal defect
Signs and symptoms of a partial atrioventricular canal defect may not appear until early adulthood. When they do become noticeable, signs and symptoms may be related to complications that develop as a result of the defect, and may include:
- Abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia)
- Heart valve problems
- Heart failure
- High blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension)
When to see a doctor
Contact your doctor if you or your child develops any of the following signs or symptoms. These could be indications of heart failure or another complication of atrioventricular canal defect:
- Poor appetite
- Failure to gain weight, in infants and children
- Shortness of breath
- Easily tiring
- Swelling of the legs, ankles or feet
- Bluish discoloration of the skin
Some babies with the partial form of atrioventricular canal defect may not have any signs or symptoms for weeks, months or even years, depending on the severity of the defect. But, anytime the signs or symptoms above start to appear, seek medical care.
- Atrioventricular septal defect. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/print/pediatrics/congenital_cardiovascular_anomalies/atrioventricular_septal_defect.html. Accessed July 26, 2012.
- Atrioventricular canal defect. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/CongenitalHeartDefects/AboutCongenitalHeartDefects/Complete-Atrioventricular-Canal-defect-CAVC_UCM_307023_Article.jsp. Accessed July 26, 2012.
- Atz AM, et al. Surgical management of complete atrioventricular septal defect: Associations with surgical technique, age, and trisomy 21. Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 2011;141:1371.
- Miller A, et al. Long term survival of infants with atrioventricular septal defects. Journal of Pediatrics. 2010;156:994.
- Warnes CA, et al. ACC/AHA 2008 guidelines for the management of adults with congenital heart disease. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2008;52:e143.
- Living with a congenital heart defect. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/chd/livingwith.html. Accessed July 26, 2012.
- Rasiah SV, et al. Outcome following prenatal diagnosis of complete atrioventricular septal defect. Prenatal Diagnosis. 2008;28:95.
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